8 Low Cost Ways To Advertise, Promote and Market Your Business

By Michelle Cobbs
Posted Saturday, February 5, 2005

We all are looking for ways to market our businesses cost effectively. I have come up with 8 ways to do just that all low cost to free. In fact most of these methods can be done from the comfort of your own home.

That's right you don't even have to leave home. What could be better, your clients are coming to you and you don't even realize it. Okay lets get started, each of these methods I'm sure you have either heard about or are already doing most if not all. They are not new, nor are they some sort of secret.

1. If you work outside of the home as many of us do as well as running a home business, you can post your business cards or flyers on your company bulletin board where company news is displayed. You should check with your Human Resources department first before tacking your information on the board, most HR Departments require you to check with them first.

2. Are you involved in any Fund Raisers school Fund Raiser in particular are the best way to market your business. Before handing out the order you have collected put together a flyer or business card pack that explains briefly what you do, how you can be reached. Make sure you have a packet tacked, stapled or placed in a bag on each order.

3. Most of us have answering machines or voice mail, what could be a better way then to market yourself than to have a brief message as part of your greeting with your website address or email address so people calling can learn more about your business. Add a little twist to your greeting by changing it once a week or when you have discounts, special promotions or discontinued products or services.

4. You can cover a lot of ground handing out flyers. Yes this can be done from the comfort of your home as well. You may be thinking how can I do this from my home. Well I'll tell you, all visitors to your home are potential clients. This could be friends, family, mailman or delivery person. No matter who it is they should not be leaving without your flyer, business card or sample of your product if applicable.

5. With online banking taking over many of you may not be able to use this tip to its full potential. Inserting your business cards or flyers in all out going mail, this is what large companies do. You know what I mean, do you have cable TV, or receive the electric bill. Yeah that's right we receive inserts in the mail we receive daily why not do the same. This is big, big, big start stuffing today.

6. If you have children in school, this one is good especially when having to keep in touch with teachers. Inserting one of your cards is a great way to circulate your information. Parent teacher’s conferences; stop writing down your number hand them a business card.

7. Post ads, flyers and cards on bulletin boards at the supermarket, community centers, and local business. Many businesses have a jar that you can put your cards in when you visit. Check office supply stores, staples, book stores; so hurry on down with your card today.

8. Tell everyone you know what you are doing ask them to tell others as well. Word of mouth can be a powerful thing. Call friends and family, ask them what they are doing while your tell them what you are doing. Network together; promote each other as long as you are not doing the same thing. If you are why not join forces, joint ventures are hot online whose say you can't get them rolling offline as well.

Finally, after reviewing this article I realized that you would have to pay for business cards and flyers, well there is a solution for that as well. Do a search online for free offers, where all you pay is shipping and handling. Or you could make you own; remember the title low cost to free.

In conclusion this is a partial list of what you can do to market, promote and advertise your business for little to no cost to you. This is an on going process. Set down, relax and just do some brainstorming you too can come up with more ways to get your message out there. It does not have to be about a business, it could be anything. Just do it.

About the Author
Michelle has been online for about 7-years now. She started out on ebay which she still does some work on occasion. After doing the ebay thing for 2-years Michelle moved over to Internet and Affiliate Marketing. She has not stopped since. Build a home business now visit (http://home-making-money.com) for more information today.